Method and apparatus to provide visual editing

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for providing images associated with each of a series of edits applied to a media object.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/562,351, filed Apr. 14, 2004, and incorporatesthat application by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to media objects, and more particularly toediting media objects.

BACKGROUND

Users often edit digital photographs or videos. In general, the processis as follows. The user opens a digital photograph. The user then hasthe ability to apply various edits to the photograph. These editsinclude changing the colors, changing the texture, making corrections,actually editing the photograph, or making other changes. As the userapplies each change, the photograph changes. Some editing tools permitthe user to undo each of the edits that have been applied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method and apparatus for providing images associated with each of aseries of edits applied to a media object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an editing logic.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of one embodiment of using the editing logic.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate one embodiment of visual editing.

FIGS. 3C and 3D illustrate another embodiment of visual editing.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system thatmay be used with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The method and apparatus to provide visual feedback for each of a seriesof edits of a media object is described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an edit logic 100. Userinterface 110 receives user interaction data, which enables the user tointeract with edit logic 100. In one embodiment, edit logic 100 resideson a client system. In another embodiment, edit logic 100 has itsfunctions split between a client and a server. In another embodiment,edit logic 100 resides on a server system, and the user interacts withthe edit logic 100 using an application such as a browser. A browser isany application and/or program that supports HTML (Hypertext MarkupLanguage) or another mark-up type language, and is capable of accessinga server. The server, in one embodiment, may be on the same computer asthe browser. In another embodiment, the browser's system may be coupledto the server via a network. The network, in one embodiment, may be theInternet, a local area network, a wide area network, or any other typeof connection between computers.

Copy logic 120 generates one or more copies of the media object selectedfor editing. Editing logic 130 then enables the user to perform anyavailable editing functions. Editing functions for photographs, forexample, can include color changes, rotation, cropping, red eye removal,texture changes, and any other editing that can be implemented.Multi-edit logic 135 enables the editing logic 130 to generate multipleedits. For example, a multi-edit may be to crop an image in variousways, for example to the various photograph sizes. Another multi-editmay be to change the color tones in various ways. Another multi-edit maybe to generate an image with each of the available textures. Themulti-edit logic 135 automatically generates multiple versions of themedia object, each with a different edit applied.

Display logic 140 adds the edited copy or copies of the media objects tothe series of media objects that make up the edits that have beenapplied to date. In one embodiment, the series starts with a currentmedia object, and is added to each time a new edit is applied.

In one embodiment, the series is displayed in a stack. A stack is acollection of objects laid on top of each other. In one embodiment, thestack makes visible at least a small portion of each of the objectswithin the stack. The term “heap” may be used, in one embodiment, torefer to a collection of stacks. In one embodiment, the heap makesvisible at least a small portion of each stack within the heap. In oneembodiment, the stacking logic 145 is implemented as described inco-pending application Ser. No. ______ (docket number 6783.P058), filedon the same date as the present application may be used to generate thestack.

Forking logic 150 enables the system to edit an image in the series thatis not the current image. If the user selects a non-current image toedit, forking logic 150 creates a different fork, using the selectednon-current image as the “original image.” In one embodiment, “forks”may be shown as different stacks. In another embodiment, forks may beshown as a series of images, as illustrated in FIGS. 3C and 3D.

Delete logic 160 enables a user to delete one or more media objects fromthe series. Purge logic 170 removes the edits associated with thoseimages from the series. This is explained in more detail below withrespect to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of one embodiment of using the editing logic. Theprocess starts at block 205.

At block 210, the original image is displayed. In one embodiment, theoriginal image may be a current image in a stack. In another embodiment,the user selects a single image to serve as the “original image.” The“top” image which is the result of all foregoing edits is labeled the“current image.” In another embodiment, at block 215, the processdetermines whether there are any current entries in the edit stack. Inone embodiment, the user opens an existing edit stack for editing. Ifthere are entries in the edit stack, at block 217, the process placesthe entry from the edit stack on the current stack (initially, on theoriginal image). The process then returns to block 215. This process isiterated until all of the entries from the edit stack have been placedon the current stack. The process then continues to block 220, to enablefurther editing by the user.

At block 220, the process determines whether the user performed an edit.In one embodiment, the user indicates that he or she wishes to performan edit by clicking an “Edit” button or similarly interacting with thesystem.

If the user selected editing, the process continues to block 225.Otherwise, the process continues to block 250.

At block 225, the process determines whether the user is editing thecurrent image. In one embodiment, the user may choose to makealterations to an image at any point in the series. In one embodiment, aparallel fork is created, at block 230, if the user chooses to edit animage that is not the current image. In another embodiment, the systemmay delete all media objects which are in front of the media objectselected for editing. The process then returns to block 235.

For example, there are media objects 1, 2, 3, and 4 in that order, with1 being the original image and 4 being the current image. In oneembodiment, when the user selects media object 3, a new media object 3′is created with these edits. Thus, two “current” images exist which maybe edited, 3′ and 4. In another embodiment, when the user selects mediaobject 3, media object 4 is deleted & a new media object 4′ is created,with the newly applied edits.

If the user is editing the current image, at block 225, the processcontinues directly to block 235.

At block 235, the system creates a copy of the media object. At bock240, the user can apply edits to the copy of the media object. At block245, the edited media object is placed on top of the series, anddesignated the “current image.” The process then continues to block 250.

At block 250, the process determines whether the user selected an imagedeletion. If the user deleted an image, the process continues to block255. At block 255, the deleted image is removed from the series. Atblock 260, the process determines whether the deleted image was thecurrent image. If so, the process continues to block 270. If the deletedimage was not the current image, at block 265 the edits associated withthe deleted image are removed. As shown in FIGS. 3A-D, in oneembodiment, each subsequent media object in the series includes allforegoing edits. Thus, if the user deletes image 3, then image 4 ismodified to remove the effects of the edit associated with image 3. Theprocess then returns to block 270.

At block 270, the process determines whether the user selected amulti-edit. If so, the process continues to block 275. At block 275, theprocess generates multiple versions of the media object, each with adifferent edit applied. For example, the user may select the edit“multi-edit textures.” The system may in response generate four images,each having a different texture applied to them. These images, at block280, are placed on the stack.

The process then returns to block 220, to enable user to perform furtheredits. In one embodiment, the user may terminate the process at any timeby selecting “end editing” or a similar function.

Note that while FIG. 2 discusses “images” this process may be applied toany media objects, such as photographs, animations, images, videos,audio files, etc.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate one embodiment of filter—stacking. In oneembodiment, when an editing tool is applied to an item on the stack, thenewly created/edited item is placed on top of the stack, with theunedited version saved on the stack as well.

In one embodiment, the user may select “spectrum edit” for certainediting formats, such as applying filters. The system then automaticallyapplies filters at various strengths, and places all of the variationson the stack. In one embodiment, the system may apply four strengths ofthe filter. The user then may click through the filtered versions on thestack, delete any he or she does not wish to save, and have theoriginal, as well as all of the various filter strengths available.

In one embodiment, filters may be applied serially. This is shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B. That is, the user may apply a filter, and the filteredmedia object is placed on the stack. A subsequent filter is applied tothe (already filtered) media object on top of the stack. Thus, the usermay sequentially create a media object that has numerous filters appliedto it. In one embodiment, the user may delete one of the media objectsin the stack, and the appropriate filtering disappears as well. Forexample, the user takes a first media object (media object #1 310), thenapplies a black & white filter to it. The black & white media object(media object #2 320) is now on top of the stack. The user then appliesa crop, producing a black & white cropped media object (media object #3330). The user then applies a media object reverse, producing mediaobject #4 340 on the stack. Thus, the user ends up with a cropped,reversed, black & white media object (media object #4 340), as shown inFIG. 3A.

If the user then deletes the media object which applied the black &white filter (i.e. media object #2 320), the resultant media object(formerly media object #4 340, but now media object #3 360) is a croppedreversed media object that is no longer black & white.

FIGS. 3C and 3D illustrate another embodiment of visual editing. FIG. 3illustrates one embodiment of forking. The process would generally startwith original image (#1). In this example, the user changes the image toblack and white, and thereby generates image B&W (#2). The user thencrops the image, generated Cropped (#3). The user then flips the imagegenerated Flipped Current#A.

At some point, after the generation of Cropped (#3), the user decides toedit the B&W image (#2). The user flips B&W (#2), generating Flipped(#2B). There are now two parallel forks, as can be seen. In oneembodiment, the user may apply the same edits. In one embodiment, thesystem may automatically generate the edits downtread from the selectedobject.

The user may, in one embodiment, generate more forks, by selecting theedit of any of the images except the two Current Images, which wouldcontinue Fork one or Fork two.

FIG. 3D illustrates one embodiment of the multi-edit feature. Theoriginal image (Original #1) is selected. The user then selects a“multi-edit” feature. In one embodiment, multi-edit features include:color changes, rotation, cropping, red eye removal, texture changes, andany other editing that can be implemented in multiple ways. In oneembodiment, when the user selects the multi-edit feature, he or she ispresented with the set of options for multi-edit. In one embodiment, theuser may select multiple multi-edits simultaneously. In one embodiment,these simultaneous multi-edits

FIG. 4 is one embodiment of a computer system that may be used with thepresent invention. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart, however that other alternative systems of various systemarchitectures may also be used.

The data processing system illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a bus or otherinternal communication means 415 for communicating information, and aprocessor 410 coupled to the bus 415 for processing information. Thesystem further comprises a random access memory (RAM) or other volatilestorage device 450 (referred to as memory), coupled to bus 415 forstoring information and instructions to be executed by processor 410.Main memory 450 also may be used for storing temporary variables orother intermediate information during execution of instructions byprocessor 410. The system also comprises a read only memory (ROM) and/orstatic storage device 420 coupled to bus 415 for storing staticinformation and instructions for processor 410, and a data storagedevice 425 such as a magnetic disk or optical disk and its correspondingdisk drive. Data storage device 425 is coupled to bus 415 for storinginformation and instructions.

The system may further be coupled to a display device 470, such as acathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) coupled to bus415 through bus 465 for displaying information to a computer user. Analphanumeric input device 475, including alphanumeric and other keys,may also be coupled to bus 415 through bus 465 for communicatinginformation and command selections to processor 410. An additional userinput device is cursor control device 480, such as a mouse, a trackball,stylus, or cursor direction keys coupled to bus 415 through bus 465 forcommunicating direction information and command selections to processor410, and for controlling cursor movement on display device 470.

Another device, which may optionally be coupled to computer system 400,is a communication device 490 for accessing other nodes of a distributedsystem via a network. The communication device 490 may include any of anumber of commercially available networking peripheral devices such asthose used for coupling to an Ethernet, token ring, Internet, or widearea network. The communication device 490 may further be a null-modemconnection, or any other mechanism that provides connectivity betweenthe computer system 400 and the outside world. Note that any or all ofthe components of this system illustrated in FIG. 4 and associatedhardware may be used in various embodiments of the present invention.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that anyconfiguration of the system may be used for various purposes accordingto the particular implementation. The control logic or softwareimplementing the present invention can be stored in main memory 450,mass storage device 425, or other storage medium locally or remotelyaccessible to processor 410.

It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that thesystem, method, and process described herein can be implemented assoftware stored in main memory 450 or read only memory 420 and executedby processor 410. This control logic or software may also be resident onan article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium havingcomputer readable program code embodied therein and being readable bythe mass storage device 425 and for causing the processor 410 to operatein accordance with the methods and teachings herein.

The present invention may also be embodied in a handheld or portabledevice containing a subset of the computer hardware components describedabove. For example, the handheld device may be configured to containonly the bus 415, the processor 410, and memory 450 and/or 425. Thehandheld device may also be configured to include a set of buttons orinput signaling components with which a user may select from a set ofavailable options. The handheld device may also be configured to includean output apparatus such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or displayelement matrix for displaying information to a user of the handhelddevice. Conventional methods may be used to implement such a handhelddevice. The implementation of the present invention for such a devicewould be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art given thedisclosure of the present invention as provided herein.

The present invention may also be embodied in a special purposeappliance including a subset of the computer hardware componentsdescribed above. For example, the appliance may include a processor 410,a data storage device 425, a bus 415, and memory 450, and onlyrudimentary communications mechanisms, such as a small touch-screen thatpermits the user to communicate in a basic manner with the device. Ingeneral, the more special-purpose the device is, the fewer of theelements need be present for the device to function. In some devices,communications with the user may be through a touch-based screen, orsimilar mechanism.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that anyconfiguration of the system may be used for various purposes accordingto the particular implementation. The control logic or softwareimplementing the present invention can be stored on any machine-readablemedium locally or remotely accessible to processor 410. Amachine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing ortransmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g. acomputer). For example, a machine readable medium includes read-onlymemory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media,optical storage media, flash memory devices, electrical, optical,acoustical or other forms of propagated signals (e.g. carrier waves,infrared signals, digital signals, etc.).

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made theretowithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are,accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense.

1. A method comprising: displaying a series of media objects containingone or more media objects; receiving a request to edit a media object;creating a new copy of the media object and applying the edit; addingthe new, edited copy of the media object to the series of media objectsas a current media object.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the seriesof media objects comprise a stack.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: deleting a media object in the series of media objects; andpurging the edit associated with the deleted media object from theseries of media objects.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:enabling editing of a selected media object other than the current mediaobject.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: starting a newparallel fork from the selected media object.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising: applying a range of edits to the media object; andadding multiple copies of the media object to the series, each copyrepresenting one of the range of edits available.
 7. An edit logicdesigned to provide a series of copies of a media object reflectingsuccessive edits, the edit logic comprising: a copy logic to generate aneditable copy of the media object; an editing logic to apply edits tothe editable copy of the media object; and a display logic to add theeditable copy of the media object to the series, and designate theeditable copy of the media object as a current version.
 8. The editlogic of claim 7, wherein the current version of the media objectincludes successive edits of each of the media object copies in theseries.
 9. The edit logic of claim 7, further comprising: stacking logicto maintain a stack configuration for the series of copies of the mediaobject.
 10. The edit logic of claim 7, further comprising: a forkinglogic to start a new editing fork if a user edits a media object priorto the current version of the media object.
 11. The edit logic of claim7, further comprising: a delete logic to enable the user to delete oneor more media objects from the series.
 12. The edit logic of claim 11,further comprising: a purge logic to delete an edit associated with thedeleted one or more media objects from forward media objects in theseries.
 13. The edit logic of claim 7, further comprising a userinterface to enable a user to enter edits, and delete edits and mediaobjects.
 14. The edit logic of claim 7, further comprising: a multi-editlogic to generate multiple media objects for a range of edits; and thedisplay logic to put a plurality of media objects into the series, theplurality of media objects representing the range of edits available.